Although we didn’t capture any of the four Suffolk County Council seats we contested, the results from all four divisions were incredibly encouraging with more than 2,500 people voting for Suffolk Together candidates – turning their backs on the major political parties.

The largest gain for ST came in the Blackbourn division where Amber Newman polled 750 votes, with 21% of the votes, to come second to the long serving Conservative who dropped a massive 837 votes this time around compared to the 2005 elections. The Liberals trailed in third and Labour fourth.  

Amber’s performance reflects great credit on her and her team who worked tirelessly to gain a major foothold in a traditional Conservative stronghold.

In the Gipping Valley, held by the Lib Dems for eight years Michael Blakenham polled 715 votes and captured 25% of the vote to come in third narrowly beaten by the Conservative whose vote more than  halved to 739 from 1533 in 2005. 

The  Lib Dem winner saw his vote drop by a huge 778 as voters again expressed their disdain with national parties and politics. Labour trailed in a poor fourth..

In the large two - seat Whitehouse and Whitton ward Michael Hallatt faced a massive task against the established three main parties and totalled a credible 686 votes to gain an 8% share of the vote. The electorate moved massively against the sitting Labour councillors to return two Conservatives in a huge swing.

In Bosmere the sitting Lib Dem polled 332 votes less than in 2005 but still held the seat with our Stephen Wright avoiding last place - that fell to Labour with just 150 votes, less than half those polled by Stephen who, on 432 votes was narrowly behind the UKIP candidate in third place.

Lessons have been learned by Thursday and will stand us in good stead for 2011 when another election will be held if the Local Government Review goes through with new unitary authorities being created.